Does your toilet need repair or is it time to replace it? Although a toilet is not the most glamorous fixture in a house, it certainly is one of the most important and regularly used plumbing fixtures. All it takes is a day or two without a working toilet to fully appreciate the brilliance of this simple device.

And brilliant it is. Invented by Thomas Crapper in the 19th century, the toilet is a relatively simple but ingenious contraption that operates as an interface between a home’s water supply and waste system to cleanly and safely eliminate waste. You can see this brilliance in action in How a Toilet Works & Toilet Plumbing Diagrams.

Though a toilet may be somewhat under-appreciated, it can gain attention in a hurry when it stops working. With this in mind, it pays to have your toilet operate efficiently and trouble-free month after month and year after year.

This section of HomeTips is flush with information about toilets. You will find unbiased guides for buying a new toilet, do-it-yourself steps for how to install a toilet, and information that will help you troubleshoot, repair, and keep your toilet operating properly.

Don Vandervort has developed his expertise for more than 30 years, as Building Editor for Sunset Books, Senior Editor at Home Magazine, author of more than 30 home improvement books, and writer of countless magazine articles. He appeared for 3 seasons on HGTV’s “The Fix,” and served as MSN’s home expert for several years. Don founded HomeTips in 1996.

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HomeTips’s founder, Don Vandervort, has been featured as a DIY expert on HGTV, MSN.com, and US News & World Report. He has also authored, edited, or produced more than 30 books in the home improvement space. Read more…

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